STV Import: TVExplorer for SageMC

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I just thought of another "feature" I'd like to see. Due to the amount of recordings I have, my list is fairly lengthy, even after I filter. Any chance of getting a "jump to" feature? I'm thinking of two possible ways to implement:

1. Use the number keys on the remote to jump to those letters. If I press 5 one time, it jumps to listings beginning with J, if I press it again, it moves to K, and a third press would obviously go to L.
2. Some way to bring up a list of letters so I could select the letter I want to jump down to. I know I've seen this somewhere in SageTV or an import, but I don't recall where at the moment.

SageMC does this in the video library (the A-Z) ... you could also have the numbers be a percent down the list... 1 = top, 9 = bottom, 5 = middle... ill add it to the list and try to come up with a way to make navigation intuitive... also when the filtering is changed for 2.0 you will have the option to store filtering sets (say Kids, News, Documentary, etc) that all have their own filtering, grouping, and sorting values... so that will be another way to make the list more manageable...

Sorry... one other "issue" has come to my attention with the latest version. Now that the years are all the way on the right of the bottom pane, you can't get to the program info screen by moving to the right from the selected episode. I'm pretty sure the original version worked this way. If there's a way to enable us to get to that screen, I'd like to see it return. The main driver behind this request is the movie trailer import which was recently released put the button on the program info screen.

right now you can assign the Select or Play button to take you to the program info screen (i use select) ... the next version will have its own options menus (rather then linking to the sagemc ones) so you will also be able to get to the program info screen through it as well

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Ahhh... ok. I see what you and he were talking about now. I also agree with you about it being confusing. I forgot about that sort option, too! Thanks for the reminder. Since I'm not at home, I have a question about how it gets displayed with that set. Is the next show (which is focused now) the first one displayed in the episode list? The questions stems from a little OCD and lack of faith in everything being "perfect" in SageTV. I would want to "verify" that last one I watched was the last episode I was supposed to watch and that no episode is suddenly "missing". Is that making sense? So, I'd like the focused episode to be the 2nd one in the episode list.

the order of the list is not changed... just which episode is focused (highlighted) by default... if the list needs to scroll to highlight the correct episode it will scroll the list and make it visible in the 1st cell (highest) if possible.... i could change this so it always scrolls to the second or third cell...

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

SageMC does this in the video library (the A-Z) ... you could also have the numbers be a percent down the list... 1 = top, 9 = bottom, 5 = middle... ill add it to the list and try to come up with a way to make navigation intuitive...

I knew I saw it someplace!

also when the filtering is changed for 2.0 you will have the option to store filtering sets (say Kids, News, Documentary, etc) that all have their own filtering, grouping, and sorting values... so that will be another way to make the list more manageable...

While that would definitely be a welcome addition, I'd personally prefer some sort of "jump" method. But, I'm at your mercy.

right now you can assign the Select or Play button to take you to the program info screen (i use select) ... the next version will have its own options menus (rather then linking to the sagemc ones) so you will also be able to get to the program info screen through it as well

That should work just fine. I forgot you added those two options. Thanks!

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

i could change this so it always scrolls to the second or third cell...

That'd be my preference, but, again... I'm at your mercy here. I'll just have to keep telling you how much the wife and I love TVE.

[Skirge01]

I clearly need to do more experimenting before I go making request of you. If I set the focus to "last watched", it's perfect. I get the last one I watched as the focus and can "verify" and then just move down one to watch the next in the list. I can definitely handle pressing the down arrow first.

[DRAK]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

makes sense and is definitely doable... I'll add it to the 2.0 todo list since its probably a fair amount of work (and as i just posted) a lot of this (filtering/grouping/sorting) code is changing for 2.0 so I want to minimize the work i have to do twice

Thanks, I understand that all this sorting code is prob a lot of work and I appreciate all your hard work so far. This plug-in has made Sage so much better and easier to navigate, I love the fact I can separate my imported/recorded TV for my movies (with SMW). a lot easier to understand for the rest of my family

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

.... drak is talking about (from how i read it anyway) reordering the groups...

That is correct, the groups only.

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I just thought of another "feature" I'd like to see. Due to the amount of recordings I have, my list is fairly lengthy, even after I filter. Any chance of getting a "jump to" feature?

I thought of this also, maybe if you had the same idea as SMW where the list slides in from the right on pressing the left arrow key.

[bluenote]

Hey skirge

Just a note, sounds like you might want to be using the 'unwatched' filter.
That will hide the watched episodes, and (I think) make things a lot easier for you (as in your stargate example)... FWIW

Personally its the most valuable option for me, since shows without any new unwatched episodes are just hidden from the list, and episodes that are watched are hidden, so both the shows list, and the episodes list are much more functional.

Sometimes you have to switch back though, but I think razr is working on improvements that will probably render that moot, as far as easily being able to change views/definitions, etc. (Sounds great razrsharpe!)

Cory

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I clearly need to do more experimenting before I go making request of you. If I set the focus to "last watched", it's perfect. I get the last one I watched as the focus and can "verify" and then just move down one to watch the next in the list. I can definitely handle pressing the down arrow first.

Glad thats working out for you I'll still change the next show default focus to be the second spot cause i think that makes sense

Originally Posted by DRAK

I thought of this also, maybe if you had the same idea as SMW where the list slides in from the right on pressing the left arrow key.

yup something like this... the problem though is left brings you to the left selection panel... maybe 1 left = selection panel, 2 lefts = a-z (or maybe the opposite.... ) i'll have to play with it...

Originally Posted by cnovak

but I think razr is working on improvements that will probably render that moot, as far as easily being able to change views/definitions, etc. (Sounds great razrsharpe!)

working on yes... but not near as much as id like

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by cnovak

Hey skirge

Just a note, sounds like you might want to be using the 'unwatched' filter.
That will hide the watched episodes, and (I think) make things a lot easier for you (as in your stargate example)... FWIW

Personally its the most valuable option for me, since shows without any new unwatched episodes are just hidden from the list, and episodes that are watched are hidden, so both the shows list, and the episodes list are much more functional.

Thanks for the idea and that would probably work for some people, but it doesn't solve the "faith" issue I have, where I want to verify the previous episode I watched and ensure that I'm about to watch the correct, next episode.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

yup something like this... the problem though is left brings you to the left selection panel... maybe 1 left = selection panel, 2 lefts = a-z (or maybe the opposite.... ) i'll have to play with it...

Hmm... personally, I'm not sure I like the sound of this. I've never cared for double button presses in interfaces. (Don't get me started on how idiotic double-clicking in Windows is... hehe.) I'd probably rather see a search/jump option added to the screen that appears when you hit "menu". Something like MENU -> SEARCH -> [number pad]. It's 3 button presses, but (to me, at least) it seems more intuitive than two left or right button presses. Plus, I imagine there might be issues when someone mistakenly hits left or right a couple of times too quickly when they're trying to get back to the main menu or over to the years. I know I quickly hit left twice quite often when going back to the main menu.

[petereader]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

yup something like this... the problem though is left brings you to the left selection panel... maybe 1 left = selection panel, 2 lefts = a-z (or maybe the opposite.... ) i'll have to play with it...

How about using the number keys on the remote as letter jumps?

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by petereader

How about using the number keys on the remote as letter jumps?

ya i think skirge suggested that... and that ill definitely put in... someone else requested that 1 = top 9 = bottom, 5 = middle... ill probably put this in too and make the default when sorted a-z be the alpha jump, otherwise make it a % jump... a slide in a-z list would also be nice... but might not happen since there isnt a clean way to navigate to it and the number keys to go to a letter work well enough

[petereader]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

ya i think skirge suggested that... and that ill definitely put in... someone else requested that 1 = top 9 = bottom, 5 = middle... ill probably put this in too and make the default when sorted a-z be the alpha jump, otherwise make it a % jump... a slide in a-z list would also be nice... but might not happen since there isnt a clean way to navigate to it and the number keys to go to a letter work well enough

Gotcha. Sorry I missed skirge's suggestion, didn't mean to repeat. If there really is that much demand for a slide would it be possible to assign a key to bring it up and into focus i.e. I don't think the #1 has any letters attached to it (don't have my remote in front of me). Don't mean to suggest more work for you, the letter jump using numbers is the preferred method for me.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by petereader

Gotcha. Sorry I missed skirge's suggestion, didn't mean to repeat.

That's okay. I'm used to having my ideas permanently borrowed. j/k

If there really is that much demand for a slide would it be possible to assign a key to bring it up and into focus i.e. I don't think the #1 has any letters attached to it (don't have my remote in front of me). Don't mean to suggest more work for you, the letter jump using numbers is the preferred method for me.

The #1? Wow. I can't believe we didn't think of that. We were talking about double arrow presses and such and the "1" button might actually be perfect! It's actually quite logical when you factor in the keypad being used for jumping to certain letters. Great idea! (Wait, maybe my next post should be, "What about using the #1 for bringing up the A-Z list?") Sorry... couldn't resist.

[petereader]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Great idea! (Wait, maybe my next post should be, "What about using the #1 for bringing up the A-Z list?") Sorry... couldn't resist.

And I would say, "Hey great idea! Why didn't I think of that?"

[PiX64]

All I can say is WOW!!!! this is freaking awesome. Right up there with SageMC, BMT, and SMW in my book.

Phenomenal job.

i LOVE IT!

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by petereader

I don't think the #1 has any letters attached to it (don't have my remote in front of me). Don't mean to suggest more work for you, the letter jump using numbers is the preferred method for me.

good idea.... ill see how much programming tha panel is

Originally Posted by PiX64

All I can say is WOW!!!! this is freaking awesome. Right up there with SageMC, BMT, and SMW in my book.

Phenomenal job.

i LOVE IT!

thanks glad you like it

[bluenote]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

ya i think skirge suggested that... and that ill definitely put in... someone else requested that 1 = top 9 = bottom, 5 = middle... ill probably put this in too and make the default when sorted a-z be the alpha jump, otherwise make it a % jump... a slide in a-z list would also be nice... but might not happen since there isnt a clean way to navigate to it and the number keys to go to a letter work well enough

I'm afraid off the top of my head I'm not sure about all the methods that have been implemented in the "major" STV's and variant imports, as well as the default STV, but if I could just humbly suggest -- that the method that ends up being selected for inclusion, at least be evaluated for how it fits in with the user experience of the rest of the product.

IMO, navigation can (and does) end up being a dogs breakfast when you have a few different imports where this hasn't been taken into consideration. Consider the areas (music, movies, recordings say, and imports, maybe EPG, just as a few examples) and if every one had a novel approach to navigation ... . IMO, there's something to be said for consistency , and intuitiveness.

(For example, some imports don't implement 'left as back' properly). And the end result ends up being amateurish, and unusable for people who haven't memorized the indidividual quirks -- the wife and kids, say.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not critiscizing anything in TVE, but I see some brainstorming discussion going on here and I just thought I'd throw that in for consideration. Because the "best" navigation method isn't really the best if its hard for people to use it, and its not at least semi standard.

FWIW

Cory

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by cnovak

I'm afraid off the top of my head I'm not sure about all the methods that have been implemented in the "major" STV's and variant imports, as well as the default STV, but if I could just humbly suggest -- that the method that ends up being selected for inclusion, at least be evaluated for how it fits in with the user experience of the rest of the product.

IMO, navigation can (and does) end up being a dogs breakfast when you have a few different imports where this hasn't been taken into consideration. Consider the areas (music, movies, recordings say, and imports, maybe EPG, just as a few examples) and if every one had a novel approach to navigation ... . IMO, there's something to be said for consistency , and intuitiveness.

(For example, some imports don't implement 'left as back' properly). And the end result ends up being amateurish, and unusable for people who haven't memorized the indidividual quirks -- the wife and kids, say.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not critiscizing anything in TVE, but I see some brainstorming discussion going on here and I just thought I'd throw that in for consideration. Because the "best" navigation method isn't really the best if its hard for people to use it, and its not at least semi standard.

FWIW

Cory

The problem with this becomes not every import scrolls or acts the same, some may be horizontal one one side and vertical on the other make a "left" as back impossible to keep function working. Standards are good but hard to keep across all spectrums. I personally don't like the "left" as back standard as why do you need that when you have a back button on your remote, but to each his own, and that is part of the problem as well not every developer is going to like the same way things are done.

[petereader]

Both good points. In this particular case, I would personally prefer the numbers to letters jump because it's he closest thing to a "standard' for my setup.

I would love to have my cake and eat it too, have all my plugins navigate the same way, even though they were all built by different developers, yet not have those developers pigeonholed by a single navigation standard, yet I also realize that his is not very realistic.